Strand guide means for spiral winders



Nov. 25, 1969 I R. H. FRILL STRAND GUIDE MEANS FOR SPIRAL WINDERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 25, 1968 TlE-. L

Nov. 25, 1969 R. H. FRILL 3,479,808

STRAND GUIDE MEANS FOR SPIRAL WINDERS Filed Dec. 23, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 42 22 9/ 92 f" @xfili I 4 I W 9.?

nited States Patent US. C]. 57-10 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Means for assembling a plurality of wire strands or the like withdrawn from individual strand supplies into a preformed band or ribbon and for guiding the ribbon of strands to a fabricating point.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The invention is related to spiral winding machines and is particularly directed to means for assembling a plurality of individual strands of wire or the like into flat bands or ribbons and for guiding the assembled strands in spaced parallel side-by-side relationship and along the same angular path in which the assembled strands are to be wound on a mandrel or core by the machine in fabricating high pressure armored hose and the like.

Description of the prior art In a prior machine for spirally winding a plurality of individual wire strands on a mandrel or core, such as shown in U.S. Patent No. 1,340,516, the wire strands were withdrawn from separate supply bobbins and guided in side-by-side relationship over rollers and through a feeding device having converging grooves for gathering the strands into tight abutting side-by-side relationship. From the feeding device the strands were guided along a path perpendicular to the axis of the mandrel or core to a crowder device adjacent thereto which also acted to force the strands into laterally abutting relationship and bend the strands to the angle at which the strands were to be wound on the mandrel or core. Although the feeding device assembled the strands in a predetermined side-by-side relationship the smooth surface of the crowder device over which the strands were directed from the feeding device to the mandrel or core did not insure that the strands would remain in the required side-by-side order as they were wound thereon In other prior devices for assembling a plurality of wire strands to be wound on core members, such as shown in US. Patents 3,037,343 and 3,357,456, members initially gathered the strands into a predetermined spaced side-byside relationship and the strands were then guided along paths perpendicular to the axis of the core members and over curved forming surfaces which acted to gather the strands in close side-by-side relationhsip and to apply helical curls to the individual strands, corresponding substantially to the diameter of the core member, before they were wound on the core member. The curved forming surfaces did not exert any control over the path of the strands to the core member and each stand was permitted to follow its own path as'it was wound on the core member which invariably resulted in an uneven spacing of the strands on the core member and in some instances also resulted in some of the strands being misplaced from the required side-by-side relationship.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly summarized the invention resides in the provision of means in spiral winding machines for assembling a plurality of Wire strands, withdrawn from supplies indi- "ice vidual to each strand, into a flat band or ribbon to be wound on a core member or the like by the machine, including means through which the strands are guided from the supplies to gather the strands in close relationship, and means adjacent the core member for assembling the strands in side-by-side relationship and through which the strands are guided to the core member, said assembling means having spaced parallel grooves for controlling both the spacing and the angle of the strands in which the assembled strands are to be wound on the core member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of one deck of a spiral winding machine having means according to the invention for assembling a plurality of individual wire strands into a flat ribbon or band to be wound on a core by the machine;

FIG. 2 is a view on an enlarged scale of the wire strand assembly means of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially along the line and in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view on an enlarged scale taken in the direction of the arrow 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view on an enlarged scale taken in the direction of the arrows 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view on a greatly enlarged scale taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 7-7 of FIG. 6.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings there is shown one of the winding decks or heads 10 of a machine for forming high pressure reinforced or armored hose and the like including a base member 11 and spaced vertical plates one of which is indicated at 12 supported on the base member and forming the fixed portion of the deck in which the operating means (not shown) is carried for a rotary member 15. The rotary member carries a plurality of like units 16, which may be of the type shown in US. Patent No. 3,392,933, issued July 16, 1968 or other like mechanisms, for supplying and tensioning groups 17 of steel wire strands 18 which are directed to assembly units 20 and assembled into ribbons or hands 21, to be spirally wound on a core or mandrel 22 moving axially through the deck 10. Except for the units 20 the construction and operation of the deck and the units 16 are conventional and form no part of the instant invention.

In accordance with the invention the assembly units 20, which as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are three in number equally spaced around the axis of the core 22, each are adapted to assemble the strands supplied by a plurality of the units 16. Each unit 20 includes a bracket 25 having a foot 26 which is secured by screws 29 to an outer flange 30 of a cylindrical member 31 suitably secured to the rotary member 15 for rotation therewith. The foot 26 is provided with a pair of pins 32 for sliding engagement in a slot 35 (FIG. 2) in an outer face 36 of the flange 30 and also is provided with an elongated pair of slots 37 through which the screws 29 extend in securing the foot to the flange. As shown in FIG. 2 the angles of the slots 35 in the flange 30 and of the Slots 37 in the foot 26 are such as to permit adjustment of the bracket 25 on the flange 30 toward and away from the axis of the core 22 along a path tangential to the outer surface of the core.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 the foot 26 of the bracket 25 has an outwardly extending web 40 which is provided with a flat raised surface 41 for supporting an elongated member 42 extending lengthwise along the axis of core 22. Opposite side faces 45 of the member 42, which are parallel to the axial center of the core 22, are provided with grooves 46 extending lengthwise of the member, the groove in one of the side faces being adapted to receive a nose portion 47 of a plate 50 secured to the surface 41 by screws 51 and the groove in the other side face being adapted to receive a nose portion 52 of a plate 55 which is secured by screws 56 to a side edge 57 of the web 40 (FIGS. 3, and 6). The nose portions of the plates 50 and 55 cooperate with the grooves 46 to maintain the member 42 in engagement with the surface 41 on the web 40 and to permit adjustment of the member along the core 22 in the manner and for purposes hereinafter set forth. The free end of a threaded stud 60 extending from the left end of the member 42, projects through an aperture 59 in an car 61 formed on the web 40 (FIG. 5). Lock nuts 65 are threaded on the stud 60 for engagement with opposite side walls of the ear 61, the nuts being adjustable relative to the ear to adjust the member 42 along the core and to secure the member in adjusted positions.

An upper surface 66 of the member 42 is provided with a shallow reces 67 defined by end walls 70 (FIG. 7) which extend across the width of the member at an angle relative to the axial center of the core and corresponding to the angle at which the strands 18 are to be wound on the core 22. A lower surface 69 of a plate-like cap member 71, secured against the surface 66 of the member 42 as by screws 72, is also provided with a shallow recess 75 defined by end wall 76 which are aligned with the end walls 70 of the recess 67 in the member 42. The plane of juncture between the surfaces 66 and 69 is parallel to the plane of the axis of core 22. The bottom surface of the recess 67 is provided with grooves 77 extending in spaced parallel side-by-side relationship across the width of the member 42 at the same angle as the end walls 70 of the recess 67. The bottom surface of the recess 76 in the cap member 71 is provided with grooves 80 which are aligned with the grooves 77 in the member 42. The aligned grooves 77 and 80 in the members 42 and 71, respectively, which grooves may be V-shaped as shown in FIG. 7 or of any other suitable shape, are dimensioned in relationship to the diameter of the wire strands 18 to accurately center the strands in the grooves without restricting the free movement of the strands through the grooves. The centerto-center spacing between the aligned grooves 77 and 80 is slightly greater than the diameter of the strands 18 to prevent the assembled strands of the ribbon 21 from engaging each other as the ribbon is wound upon the core. The groups 17 of strands 18 withdravm from each of the supply and tensioning units associated with any one of the assembly units are initially led between a first pair of spools or rollers 81 mounted on studs 82 on a portion 85 of the foot 26 of the bracket 25. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 the portion 85 is angled in relationship to the foot 26 so that the axes of the rollers 81 are at substantially right angles to the linear dimensions of the grooves in the members 42 and 71. From the rollers 81 the groups 17 of strands 18 are led between a second pair of spools or rollers 86 within are mounted on studs 87 on the web 40. The axes of the rollers 86 are at right angles to the axes of the rollers 81. The pairs of rollers 81 and 86 are arranged to gather the strands into close relationship at the level of the plane of juncture between the surfaces 66 and 69 of the members 42 and 71 and within a width corresponding substantially to the distance between the end aligned grooves 77, 80 in the members 42 and 71 so that the individual strands enter the grooves in the required side-by-side order along paths substantially aligned with the grooves. From the members 42 and 71 the assembled strands then pass directly to the core to be wound thereon.

. In order to accurately center and prevent deflection of the core 22 relative to the assembly units as the ribbons of strands are wound thereon each unit 20 is provided with a pair of rollers .90 which are rotatably mounted 4 on pins 91 carried in bosses 92 projecting from the web 40 of the bracket 25 at opposite ends of the members 42 and 71 the rollers being adapted for rolling engagement with the core. As shown in FIG. 5 the axes of the pins 91 are so positioned that as the units 20 rotate around the core during the axial movement of the latter the rollers, with respect to the core, travel a spiral path corresponding to the lay of the strands on the core.

In initially preparing the individual assembly units 20 for the winding operation, a group 17 of strands 18 is withdrawn from the associated supply unit 16 most remotely located from the assembly unit and the grou is then lead between the pairs of spools 81 and 86 and the individual wires thereof either threaded into the V-shaped grooves while the members 42 and 71 are secured to each other or if the member 71 is removed are laid in the grooves 77, in the side-by-side order in which they are to be assembled in the band 21. After the strands of this initial group are threaded into the grooves 77, or are laid in the grooves 77 as above noted, the ends of the strands are secured to the core by tape. The groups of strands are then successively withdrawn from the other supply units 16 associated with the unit 20 and lead through the pairs of spools 81 and 86, and the strands of each group are then threaded into the grooves in the required side-by-side order and taped to the core to complete the ribbon 21. After the groups 17 of strands 18 associated with each of the units 20 are assembled in the manner decribed, the member 42 of the unit 20 may be adjusted relatively to each other, if this is found to be necessary, to so position the ribbons that the adjacent strands of adjacent ribbons have the same spacing as the strands of the individual ribbons.

I claim:

1. In a machine for spirally winding a flat band having a plurality of parallel side-by-side strands on a core movable axially through said machine, said machine having a member rotatable about said core, means on said rotatable member for supporting supplies for each of said plurality of strands and from which said strands are withdrawn as they are wound on said core, and means on said rotatable member for rotation therewith about said core for assembling said strands to form said flat band the improvement wherein said last named means includes first guide means through which said strands are led from said supplies, and second guide means through which said strands are led in predetermined side-by-side relationship from said first guide means to said core, said second guide means including means for controlling both the side-byside spacing of the strands and the angle at which said assemblied strands are to be wound on said core.

2. A machine according to claim 1 in which said second guide means includes a first guide member, and a second guide member secured to said first guide member, said first and second guide members having a plane of juncture parallel to the plane of the axis of said core, and said means for controlling the spacing of said strands in said band and the angle at which said strands are wound on said core comprises aligned spaced parallel grooves in said first and second guide members.

3. A machine according to claim 2 in which there is means for adjusting said first and second guide members of said second guide means along a path parallel to said core.

4. A machine according to claim 1 in which there is means on said assembling means for supporting said core during rotation of said assembling means about said core.

5. A machine according to claim 4 in which said supporting means comprises rotatable rollers and there is one of said rollers at each end of said first and second guide members of said second guide means.

6. A machine according to claim 1 in which there is a plurality of said strand assembling means on said rotatable member equally spaced about said core, and each of said plurality of assembling means is adapted to assemble a 5 plurality of strands into a fiat band to be Wound on said core in side-by-side relationship with the flat bands of strands assembled by the others of said plurality of assembling means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,340,516 5/1920 Andren 5713 XR JOHN PETRAKES, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

